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Hypethetical: 12v battery doesn't jump...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by paulrubin, Aug 22, 2007.

  1. paulrubin

    paulrubin New Member

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    As I count down the days to when my new toy gets ready for its new owner, various things have come to mind given how different the Prius is from traditional cars. This one might have been answered somewhere but I couldn't find it.

    At some point in time, almost every driver will experience the dreaded left the lights on or something that causes the battery to discharge. 99% of the time you'll be able to get it jumped (another issue with the Prius that I do remember seeing somewhere with its own special instructions). What happens if the car cannot be jumped. In a regular car, you be able to take off the parking break and put it in neutral. Not so with the Prius. So how does it get towed?

    So basically:
    1. Are there clearly mapped out instructions for jumping the car that I can keep in the glove box (I believe I read the Prius cannot be used to jump another car safely)
    2. Are there clearly mapped out instructions for towing a Prius that cannot disengage the parking break into neutral?
     
    #1 paulrubin, Aug 22, 2007
  2. mcbrunnhilde

    mcbrunnhilde Opera singin' Prius nut!

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Paul R @ Aug 22 2007, 02:57 PM) [snapback]500611[/snapback]</div>
    Instructions for jumping the Prius are in your owner's manual (it's a good idea to keep it in the car for reference). The Prius CAN be used to jump another car, but not in the conventional way (i.e. the other car has to remain off, and the Prius is used to charge the other car's battery).

    I don't know about getting into neutral when the car is off, but a jump should render that point moot.
     
    #2 mcbrunnhilde, Aug 22, 2007
  3. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    Lift the wheels off the ground.
    The Prius can be taken out of park by rotating the gear selector motor.
     
    #3 patsparks, Aug 23, 2007
  4. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Paul R @ Aug 22 2007, 05:57 PM) [snapback]500611[/snapback]</div>
    1. Yes. You find them in the user manual.

    2. Yes. Make sure the tow truck has a dolly, or use a flatbed.

    Tom
     
    #4 qbee42, Aug 23, 2007
  5. paulrubin

    paulrubin New Member

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    So the gear selector rotates unlike say a conventional joystick? But the back wheels have to be off the ground? This is in the manual or someone's actually done this?


    And I thought about a dolly or flatbed. A flatbed doesn't address the issue. The tow truck operator will still pull the car up the inclined flatbed and damage the parking brake. And a dolly is really for one set of tires or the other.
     
    #5 paulrubin, Aug 24, 2007
  6. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    There's no need to stress about this. As with any front wheel drive car it's OK to leave the rear wheels on the ground; just make sure the parking brake is off. Alternately, dragging it a few feet onto a flatbed isn't going to do any detectable harm even if it is in gear. Likewise, first unset the parking brake.

    Or you can think of this as a reminder not to rely on the auto-headlight-shutoff (it only works if you exit through the driver's door) and to always lock the car (this will cause a long beep if the rear hatch or a door is left ajar).
     
    #6 richard schumacher, Aug 24, 2007
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